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August 20, 2019

After two years on the market, Bar Harbor mansion goes up for auction

Courtesy / Platinum Luxury Auctions The estate East of Eden, first listed at $15.5 million, had been on the market for two years but will go to auction.

East of Eden, one of Bar Harbor’s mansions of the so-called Gilded Age, is up for auction.

Located at 145 Eden St., the Mediterranean-style residence built in 1907 is being offered for auction by Platinum Luxury Auctions of Miami. The auction will be held Sept. 7 at 2 p.m.

The property had been on the market for two years, with an initial asking price of $15.5 million. It’s currently listed at $12.5 million by The Knowles Co.

It’s now selling at auction without a reserve, according to Platinum’s marketing information. Prospective bidders must make a refundable bid deposit of $250,000.

"The East of Eden estate has been on the market since August 2017,” Platinum Luxury Auctions founder Trayor Lesnock told Mainebiz in an email. “Understanding this unique property required a more unique approach to finding the right buyer. The owners contracted Platinum Luxury Auctions to ensure a date-certain sale of the property by Sept. 7. They have enjoyed tremendously their time spent at East of Eden, and are excited for the estate to find a new owner who will enjoy it as they did."

The house was designed by Boston architect Guy Lowell, whose other designs included the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, according to Wikipedia

Courtesy / Platinum Luxury Auctions
Features of the 28-room house include 14-foot ceilings, marble flooring and modern upgrades.

East of Eden’s most recent owner was the late William B. Ruger Jr., a member of the family that co-founded Sturm, Ruger & Co., where he eventually became CEO, according to his obituary. The company has more than 2,000 employees and is manufacturer of firearms. Ruger, of Newport, N.H., and Bar Harbor, died in 2018.

The design of the 15,000-square-foot, three-story house, on nine acres with 1,100 feet of water frontage, reflects the Mediterranean revival and Beaux Art styles. Features include 14-foot ceilings, massive fireplaces, marble flooring and modern upgrades, such as a professional-grade kitchen, two-passenger modern elevator and a wine cellar. There are 28 rooms, including eight bedrooms, nine full bathrooms and three half-baths. 

The property also features a separate garage house, with eight vehicle bays, constructed in 2008. Other outbuildings include a gatehouse, an enclosed woodshed and a utility/storage shed. Waterside infrastructure includes a private boat dock and a lighted walking bridge.

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